Apparatus for forming bread wrapper



Dec. 1, K70 R. c. WEEKS APPARATUS FOR FORMING BREAD WRAPPER 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1968 Dec. 1, mm R. c. WEEKSAPPARATUS FOR FORMING BREAD WRAPPER Original Filed Feb. 13, 1968 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: RICHARD C. WEEKS United States Patent 3,543,480APPARATUS FOR FORMING BREAD WRAPPER Richard C. Weeks, Wilton, Cnn.,assignor to Campbell Soup Company, Camden, N.J., a corporation of NewJersey Original application Feb. 13, 1968, Ser. No. 705,089, now PatentNo. 3,432,310, dated Mar. 11, 1969. Divided and this application Sept.23, 1968, Ser. No. 761,595

Int. Cl. B65b 11/42 US. Cl. 53210 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Abread wrapper and a method and apparatus for forming the samecharacterized by a wrapped, tightly fitting and tightly closed end-tiedpackage which when opened expands at the open end to permit withdrawaland replacement of bread slices but which may be reclosed withoutaffecting the tight wrapping of the loaf. The wrapper is characterizedby a fin seal extending longitudinally along the overlapped side edgeportions thereof, spaced between the line of overlap and the Wrapperside edges. A subsequently formed conventional overlap seal of theoverlapped edge portions provides a tightly wrapped package. Thecombination of the fin seal and overlap seal permits an expansion of thewrapper open end proportional to the spacing of the fin seal from theline of overlap. The present method of forming such a wrapper permitsthe formation of the essentially bagshaped wrapper directly on the loafto insure a tight package. The present apparatus provides a means forcarrying out the method by a simple modification of conventional breadwrapping machinery.

This is a division of application No. 705,089 filed Feb, 13, 1968 Thepresent invention relates generally to the packaging of foodstuffs inrecloseable plastic sheet packages and relates more particularly to thewrapping of bread loaves in air-tight recloseable packages.

Bread packaging techniques have in recent years been changing markedlydue to the strong consumer preference for recloseable packages. Ofparticular note is the wide acceptance of bread packed in polyethylenebags, the open end of the bag being secured by a twist tie or otherdevice to form what is known in the trade as a pony tail package. Thebags are especially attractive because of their recloseability and theease with which the bread may be withdrawn and replaced. In theserespects, the bags are a substantial improvement over the standardwrapped package which is difficult to reclose and which is not adaptedto replacement of bread slices.

A serious disadvantage, however, of the bag type package is the loosemanner in which the bread is held by the package due to the fact thatthe bread is placed in the bag after the bag has been formed. The bagaccordingly provides a little or no support for the bread and permitsdeformation of the bread loaf and separation of the slices. The baggedbread is thus susceptible to damage during handling prior to purchaseand in addition provides a rather sloppy looking package in contrast tothe tightly bound wrapped packages.

In order to realize the advantages of both the bag package and thewrapped package, some premium priced loaves are packaged in an innerfilm wrap which holds the bread in a stiif configuration, and an outerloose fitting bag having a readily recloseable pony tail end. Theexpense of such a dual package is, however, too high for any but thepremium priced loaves and the removal and replacement of the bread isnecessarily more involved in view of the double package.

In a recent development, an attempt was made to provide the advantagesof the recloseable bag with those of the tight bread securing wrap. Thiswas eifected by wrapping a film completely around a loaf, heat sealingthe overlapped film along one side of the loaf with the seal extendingonly to the loaf ends. One end of the wrapped film was then closed in aconventional gusset end and the other end closed with a twist tie toform a big type pony tail. In such a package, the bread loaf is tightlybound and supported by the wrapped film while the pony tail end may beeasily opened and closed to permit removal of the bread slices. Sincethe film seal extends only along the length of the loaf, the pony tailend may be widely opened to permit easy removal and replacement of thebread.

Even this arrangement, however, although incorporating the desirableaspects of both the bag package and the Wrapper type package, sulfersfrom a serious drawback. Due to the fact that the overlopping film issealed only to the end of the bread loaf, there is a space between thefilm edges outwardly of the loaf at the pony tail end through which air,insects or foreign matter may pass into the package regardless of thetight seal at the pony tail band. While this difficulty might bealleviated by continuing the overlap seal up the end of the Wrapper, theopen end of the package would then have an area exactly that of thebread slices and removal or replacement of the bread would be extremelydifiicult.

In the present invention, an arrangement is provided utilizing a wrappedfilm package with a bag type tie-end which provides a tight seal alongthe tie-end but which permits an opening thereof to freely discharge oradmit bread slices. This is accomplished by providing an inner fin sealextending the full length of the wrapped film and joining the overlappedfilm edges along a line spaced from the line of overlap. A later formedconventional pressure seal provides a tight packaging of the loaf, whilethe fin seal provides a seal extending through the tie end to preventair penetration and contamination of the bread and also permits anexpansion of the tie end for ease in removing and replacing breadslices. By the method of the present invention the package described canbe formed directly on the bread loaf in a relatively simple manner. Thepresent apparatus discloses a manner in which conventional breadwrapping machinery can be readily modified to carry out this method.

In view of the above it can be understood to be a first object of thepresent invention to provide a wrapped bread package having arecloseable tie end which is adapted to expand to facilitate the removaland replacement of bread slices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bread package asdescribed which may be easily and economically applied and which has anattractive appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus forforming a bread wrapper as described which utilizes a conventional breadwrapping machine with only slight modifications.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be more readilyapparent from the following detailed description of an embodimentthereof when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a bread loaf sealed in a package inaccordance with the present inventon;

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view showing the closed or gusset end ofthe package loaf shown in FIG. 1;

3 FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the bread loaf package of FIG. 1in an opened condition to permit the removal of bread slices therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken through the package loaf ofFIG. 1 and showing the relative locations of the fin seal and overlapseal of the film wrapper;

FIG. 5 is a view looking into the open end of the loaf in the conditionshown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing the first step in the method ofapplying the present package utilizing a slightly modified commercialbread wrapping machine;

FIG. 7 is a partial view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 showing themanner in which the bread loaf is moved onto the lifter table to startthe wrapping operation;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIGS. 6 and 7 showing the lifter table inthe raised position and the manner in which the fin seal is formed;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the manner in which thewrapping film is cut during the formation of the fin seal;

FIG. 10 is a further view similar to FIGS. 8 and 9 showing the manner inwhich the partially wrapped loaf is moved from the lifter table; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the wrapped bread loaf afterformation of the fin seal and overlap seal but before the formation ofthe gusset end and the gathering and tying of the pony tail end.

Referring to the drawings and specifically FIGS. 1-5 thereof, a breadloaf 12 is shown wrapped in a package 14 in accordance with the presentinvention formed from a film of plastic heat-sealable material such aspolyethylene. The package comprises a single sheet of film 16 which inits lengthwise dimension extends substantially beyond the ends of thebread loaf in each direction for reasons which will presently beobvious. The film is wrapped transversely around the bread loaf and isof sufficient width to provide substantial overlapping side edgeportions 18 and 20 terminating respectively in adjacent side edges 22and 24. When the film is tightly wrapped transversely about the loaf,the overlap of the side edge portions 18 and 20 starts along a linedesignated as the line of overlap 26, which is seen most readily in FIG.4.

Spaced approximately midway between the line of overlap 26 and the sideedges of the overlapped side edge portions is a so-called fin seal 28which extends longitudinally the full length of the overlapped side edgepor tions. The fin seal is a narrow seal, preferably a heat seal havinga width of approximately A An overlap seal 30 is provided between thefin seal and the side edges of the overlapped side edge portions tosecure the overlapped portions to the film panel 32 covering the bottomof the loaf. The overlap seal 30, in contrast to the fin seal, extendslongitudinally only along the length of the loaf, terminating at theloaf ends. The overlap seal 30 is preferably a relatively broad heatseal which might be as much as 1" in width and serves to secure the filmin a tight wrap transversely about the loaf, joining the overlapped sideedge portions to each other and to the bottom panel 32.

At one end of the package as illustrated in FIG. 2, the extending filmend portion is closed in a conventional gusset end seal 34 and includesa conventional paper end label 36 which serves to secure the gusset aswell as providing a means for carrying price or advertising indicia. Theopposite end of the bag is gathered in a pony tail 38 which is securedby the twist tie 40 in the same manner as conventional bag packages.

In the illustrated embodiment, a waxed paper overwrap 42 is providedupon which the manufacturers label may be printed although this is anoptional feature. Indicia may alternately be printed directly on thefilm package as is commonly done with the polyethylene bag breadpackages.

It can be seen from FIG. 1 that the present package provides anair-tight seal of t e bread loaf even at the pony tail end in view ofthe fin seal which prevents air, dust or foreign matter from enteringthe package between the end of the loaf and the twist tie 40. While inthe illustrated embodiment of the invention the fin seal extends thefull length of the package, it is obvious that to accomplish a sealingof a full loaf, the fin seal need only extend from the end of theoverlap seal at the bread loaf end to the end of the package.

In addition to the tight sealing of the bread loaf when closed with thetwist tie 40 as shown in FIG. 1 the present package permits an expansionof the open end to facilitate the withdrawal and replacement of breadslices as shown in FIGS. 35. The open end of the package may be expandedoutwardly of the end of the overlap seal in an amount equal to twice thespacing of the fin seal from the line of overlap. Since the overlap sealmaintains a tight transverse support of the loaf, this expansion featuredoes not affect the tightness of the package and does not allow the loafto collapse as does the conventional bag packages. As the loaf is usedand the quantity of bread stored in the package becomes smaller, it ispossible to open a portion of the overlap seal to separate theoverlapped side edge portions from the bottom panel, thereby increasingthe length of the package subject to expansion. It is for this reasondesirable to have the fin seal extend the full length of the package toinsure a complete reseal after the loaf has been depleted and theoverlap seal partly opened.

The preferred method of wrapping bread in the present package is shownin FIGS. 6-10 wherein a schematically illustrated apparatus for carryingout the wrapping method is shown. The apparatus, essentially an AmericanMachine & Foundry Co. infra-red wrapping machine model 3175 as shown inFIG. 6 includes an inclined infeed table 50 carrying a bread supporttray 52 onto which a freshly baked bread loaf is loaded as shown at 54.A pusher 57 on the table 50 isv adapted to pass through an opening 58 inthe tray 52 to move the bread loaf to the position 60 shown in brokenlines on the lifter table 62. A sheet of packaging film 64 is led from alarge supply roll 66 on a suitable rotatable mounting 68 between feedrolls 70 and guide rolls 72 and passes between the table 50 and liftertable 62.

As shown in FIG. 7, the movement of the loaf from the table 50 onto thelifter table 62 by the pusher 57 displaces the film sheet 64, wrappingthe sheet halfway around the bread loaf. The retraction of the pusher 57and the pivoting of the lifter table into the raised position shown inFIG. 8 and in broken lines in FIG. 6 at 74 completes the wrapping of thesheet 64 transversely around the bread loaf. The sheet is at this pointoverlapped with the lead edge 76 thereof, the overlapped portionsextending between the roller 78 journaled on the lifter table and theroller 80 of take-off table 82. The roller 80 includes an internalcartridge heater 83 including a thermal sensing element for heatcontrol. As shown in FIG. 8, the lifter table 62 is then moved towardthe roller 80 thereby gripping the overlapped film between roller 78 andheated roller 80 to form a fin seal 28 described above. During formationof the fin seal, as shown in FIG. 9, a pusher 88 on the lifter table 62is actuated to move the loaf toward the take-off table 82 and at thesame time the knife 84 on pivotally mounted knife bar 85 is rotated pastthe shear bar 86 on the lifter table 62 below the roller 78 to shear thefilm sheet adjacent the lead edge 76.

Upon completion of the film cut-off step and the fin sealing operation,the lifter table 62 is moved back to its initial position and the pusher88 advances the bread loaf onto the take-off table 82. The loaf thenpasses to a conventional heat sealing conveyor (not shown) on which theoverlap seal 30 is applied. The overlapping side portions 18 and 20 ofthe package are folded upwardly against the bottom panel 32 of the loafwrapper as the loaf is advanced acros the roller 80 and the pressure ofthe loaf on a bar type conveyor heater provides the overlap seal onlyalong a longitudinal face of the loaf. The loaf following theapplication of the overlap seal has the appearance shown in FIG. 11wherein the loaf is securely wrapped transversely but with the packageends incomplete. To complete the package, one end of the film is formedinto the conventional gusset end shown in FIG. 2, and the opposite endis formed into the pony tail with the twist tie, both operations beingperformed with conventional packaging equipment.

The method and apparatus'for wrapping a bread loaf illustrated in FIGS.6-10 is conventional with the exception of the application of the finseal. The modification of the American Machine and Foundry Co. machineidentified above involves only the installation of the cartridge heater83 in the roller 80. The fin seal may thus be provided withoutextensively "modifying the machine and without increasing the wrappingtime required per loaf.

Although in the illustrated embodiment of the invention the line ofoverlap 26 occurs at a bottom corner of the loaf, it is obvious thatwhile this is a convenient construction in view of the operation of theillustrated apparatus, the line of overlap could be located at any otherposition. For the best appearance of the package, the fin seal andoverlap seal should be on the bottom of the loaf as illustrated. The finseal may of course be formed by other means than the illustrated heatedroller, for example by a heated plate, hot wire, high frequency andsimilar methods commonly practiced in this art.

Manifestly, changes in details of construction can be effected by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope ofthe invention as defined in and limited solely by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for wrapping bread loaves or similar articles in a heatsensitive wrapping material comprising an infeed table to receive a loafpositioned thereon so that the longitudinal side of the load is parallelto a first edge of the table, a lifer table laterally separated from theinfeed table and having a roller extending longitudinally along the edgeof said table opposing the first edge of the infeed table, a takeofftable located generally above the infeed table and having a rollerextending longitudinally along one edge, said roller having heatingmeans located therein to heat the surface of the roller, a sheet ofwrapping material extending downwardly from a guide located between theinfeed and takeoff tables with the lead portion of the material passingbetween the infeed and lifter tables, means for moving a loaf laterallyfrom the infeed table onto the lifter table and against the material towrap the material circumferentially around three sides of the loaf,means to raise the lifter table to the level of the takeolf table andabove the guide thereby completing the circumferential wrapping of theloaf and causing the material to overlap on itself contiguous the liftertable roller, and means for moving the lifter table toward the takeofftable so that the overlapped portion of the material is pressed againstthe heated roller of the takeoff table to form a sealing line extendingparallel to and adjacent the edge of the loaf in the overlapped portionof the material.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the wrapping material hasa width and the rolls of the lifter and takeolf tables have a lengthgreater than the longitudinal length of the loaf so that the heat sealis formed across the full length of the material and beyond the ends ofth loaf.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 further including means forfolding the overlapped portion of the material beneath the load and thencontacting said portion with a heat sealing means to seal the portion tothe material along the bottom of the loaf thereby forming two parallelseals along the bottom of the loaf, the first formed seal extending thefull width of the material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,805,693 5/1931 Gladeck 53-2291,953,097 4/1934 Becker 53-33 3,466,849 9/1969 Schaefer et a1. 53-210THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Asssitant Examiner

